SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Free agent quarterback David Carr arrived in the Bay Area on Friday to visit with the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers said Carr was in town and would meet with the club Friday night and again Saturday.While coach Mike Singletary has repeatedly said 2005 No. 1 pick Alex Smith is his starter going forward, Singletary didn’t rule out signing an experienced quarterback who could push Smith and challenge for playing time. Carr, an eight-year NFL veteran, was the top draft pick in 2002 out of Fresno State. He spent the past two seasons as a backup to Eli Manning with the New York Giants.“I feel very good about saying that Alex Smith is our starter going into the next football season,” Singletary said during last week’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “The thing for me is I’m always going to use words like probably, and all those other things, because I like competition. I like guys knowing that they’re always going to compete.”The 30-year-old Carr was the Houston Texans’ starter from 2002-06.If he joins the team, that likely would signal the end of backup Shaun Hill’s tenure with the Niners. Hill is headed into the final year of his contract.Smith took over for Hill at halftime Oct. 25 at Houston and started the rest of the way for San Francisco, which finished 8-8 and ended a franchise-worst stretch of six straight losing seasons. The 49ers also drafted QB Nate Davis in the fifth round last year out of Ball State.Carr, who last started a game in 2007 for the Carolina Panthers, has completed 1,346 passes for 14,366 yards and 65 touchdowns in his career.